Google Pixel 5a 5G vs Pixel 7: A Detailed Comparison
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Pixel 7 is the clear winner, offering a significantly faster processor, brighter display, improved camera system, and faster charging. While the Pixel 5a 5G remains a solid budget option, the Pixel 7's advancements make it the superior choice for most users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Google Pixel 5a 5G | Google Pixel 7 |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - GQML3 |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 5, 12, 25, 28, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - GQML3 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 75, 76, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - GVU6C | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, August 17 | 2022, October 06 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, August 26 | Available. Released 2022, October 13 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame, aluminum back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 156.2 x 73.2 x 8.8 mm (6.15 x 2.88 x 0.35 in) | 155.6 x 73.2 x 8.7 mm (6.13 x 2.88 x 0.34 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 183 g (6.46 oz) | 197 g (6.95 oz) |
| IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~415 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~416 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.34 inches, 97.0 cm2 (~84.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.3 inches, 96.7 cm2 (~84.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, HDR | AMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM), 1400 nits (peak) |
| Always-on display | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime & 1x2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver) | Octa-core (2x2.85 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.35 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM7250 Snapdragon 765G 5G (7 nm) | Google Tensor G2 (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 620 | Mali-G710 MP7 |
| OS | Android 11, upgradable to Android 14 | Android 13, upgradable to Android 15, up to 5 major Android upgrades |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| - | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 12.2 MP, f/1.7, 27mm, (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 16 MP, f/2.2, 119˚ (ultrawide), 1.0µm | 50 MP, f/1.9, 25mm (wide), 1/1.31", 1.2µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.9", 1.25µm |
| Features | LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama | Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1.12µm | 10.8 MP, f/2.2, 21mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.22µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS, 10-bit HDR |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1.12µm | 10.8 MP, f/2.2, 21mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.22µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDS | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1 | USB Type-C 3.2 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 18W wired, PD2.0 | 20W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 20W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4680 mAh | Li-Ion 4355 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Mostly Black | Obsidian, Lemongrass, Snow |
| Models | G1F8F, G4S1M | GVU6C, GQML3, GO3Z5 |
| Price | $ 189.00 / C$ 249.99 | € 199.00 / $ 179.26 / £ 189.99 / ₹ 28,499 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 122h | Endurance rating 96h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -26.2 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 291303 (v8) GeekBench: 1337 (v5.1) GFXBench: 19fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 813114 (v9) GeekBench: 3288 (v5.1) GFXBench: 59fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Google Pixel 5a 5G
- Excellent camera for the price
- Clean Android experience
- 5G connectivity
- Durable build quality
- Headphone jack
- Older processor
- Lower brightness display
- Slower charging
- No wireless charging
- Less premium design
Google Pixel 7
- Powerful Google Tensor G2 processor
- Brighter and smoother display
- Superior camera system
- Faster charging (wired & wireless)
- Reverse wireless charging
- More premium design
- Latest Google features
- Higher price
- Battery life slightly less than 5a 5G (though still good)
- Tensor G2 can sometimes run warm
Display Comparison
The Pixel 7 boasts a significantly brighter display at 974 nits compared to the Pixel 5a 5G's 861 nits. Both offer excellent contrast (infinite nominal), but the Pixel 7's increased brightness makes it more visible in direct sunlight and provides a more vibrant viewing experience. The Pixel 7 also likely has a higher refresh rate (90Hz) compared to the 5a 5G (60Hz), resulting in smoother scrolling and animations.
Camera Comparison
While the Pixel 5a 5G's camera is excellent for its price range, the Pixel 7's camera system is a clear step up. The Pixel 7 features improved sensors, enhanced image processing, and additional features like Super Res Zoom and Cinematic Blur. Both phones offer Google's signature computational photography, but the Pixel 7 delivers superior image quality, especially in low-light conditions.
Performance
The Pixel 7's Google Tensor G2 chipset (5nm) is a substantial upgrade over the Pixel 5a 5G's Snapdragon 765G 5G (7nm). The Tensor G2's Cortex-X1 core delivers significantly faster processing speeds, making the Pixel 7 noticeably quicker for demanding tasks like gaming and video editing. The Pixel 7's improved machine learning capabilities also enhance features like voice assistant and camera processing.
Battery Life
The Pixel 5a 5G initially had a slight edge with a reported endurance rating of 122h, but the Pixel 7's 96h rating is still very respectable. The Pixel 7 also offers faster 20W wired charging, PD3.0 support, and wireless charging (including reverse wireless charging), providing greater convenience.
Buying Guide
Who should buy the Google Pixel 5a 5G? Those on a tight budget who prioritize a reliable camera and clean Android experience. Who should buy the Google Pixel 7? Anyone seeking top-tier performance, a stunning display, a versatile camera system, and the latest Google features.